Chase Allen Bio
Chase Allen (born July 9, 1997) is an American professional football tight end who most recently signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). Standing 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) and listed at 251 lb (114 kg), Allen combines rare size with the blocking reliability and sure-handedness developed across a long college career. After a six-season run at Iowa State, he entered the National Football League (NFL) with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He is the son of longtime college football head coach Terry Allen, a background that shaped his early understanding of the sport.
Early Life and Background
Chase Allen grew up in Nixa, Missouri, and attended Nixa Public High School, where he developed into one of the state’s most productive tight end prospects. As a senior, he was named first team All-State after posting 33 receptions for 654 yards and seven touchdowns, numbers that placed him among the top pass-catching tight ends in Missouri that year. His recruitment drew attention from several major programs, and he ultimately committed to Iowa State over scholarship offers from Nebraska, Michigan, Missouri, and Minnesota.
The Allen household was defined by football. His father, Terry Allen, served as a head coach at Northern Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri State, giving Chase an unusually mature perspective on the game’s tactical side. That family environment was also the source of one of his earliest moments in the national spotlight, when as a high schooler he was shown on national television visibly emotional at the conclusion of North Carolina’s loss to Kansas in the 2013 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament. The appearance, though incidental, introduced him to a national audience and foreshadowed the visibility that would follow his athletic career.
Path to American Football
Chase Allen’s path to professional American football began in earnest when he enrolled at Iowa State in 2016, joining a Cyclones program looking to build around a tall, physical tight end prospect. He redshirted his true freshman season after being hit by a car shortly before his first year on campus, an injury that delayed his debut but did not derail his long-term development. The redshirt year allowed him to add strength and learn the offensive system without burning a season of eligibility.
By his redshirt freshman year, Allen had earned a significant role, playing in all 13 of Iowa State’s games and starting nine while earning second-team All-Big 12 Conference recognition primarily for his blocking. Although injuries limited him to eight games during his redshirt sophomore season, his trajectory pointed clearly toward a future at the next level. His combination of size, in-line toughness, and steady hands made him a natural fit for traditional tight end duties, and his production climbed steadily across the following three seasons.
Chase Allen Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Across six seasons in the Iowa State program, Allen built the resume that would eventually earn him an NFL opportunity. He redshirted in 2016, then posted a redshirt freshman season in which his run-blocking stood out enough to earn him second-team All-Big 12 honors. His redshirt sophomore campaign was shortened by injury, but he returned as a redshirt junior to play all 13 games and finish with 17 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns, repeating as a second-team all-conference selection.
As a redshirt senior, Allen caught 19 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns and was again named second-team All-Big 12. After the COVID-19 pandemic granted college athletes an extra year of eligibility, he returned to Iowa State for a sixth season. In that final year, he recorded 26 receptions for 284 yards and two touchdowns, securing a fourth All-Big 12 second-team selection and cementing his reputation as one of the most consistent tight ends in the conference.
Chicago Bears Era (2022–2023)
Chase Allen signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent on April 30, 2022, beginning his professional career in the NFL. He competed through the preseason but was waived during final roster cuts on August 30, 2022. The Bears quickly brought him back, signing him to the practice squad the following day and keeping him in the organization as a developmental tight end.
Allen signed a reserve/future contract with the Bears on January 9, 2023, signaling that the team viewed him as part of its long-term plans. However, he was waived on August 5, 2023, ending his time in Chicago. Although his Bears tenure did not include regular-season game action at the NFL level, the experience gave him two seasons of professional practice and preparation that he would later lean on.
St. Louis Battlehawks Era (2024–Present)
On November 6, 2024, Allen signed with the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League, the spring professional football league formed from the merger of the XFL and USFL. The move represented a new chapter for the tight end, who joined a Battlehawks roster looking to add size and red-zone reliability to its offensive scheme. His signing was viewed as a strong fit given the UFL’s emphasis on physical tight end play.
By the 2025 season, Allen had established himself within the St. Louis offense. His combination of 6 ft 6 in frame, in-line blocking strength, and dependable hands gave the Battlehawks a reliable option in both the running and passing game. As the 2025 campaign progressed, he continued to be a steadying presence on a roster aiming to compete in the UFL title race.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chase Allen’s professional profile is built on physicality, dependability, and football intelligence. He excels as an in-line blocker, using his size and leverage to anchor the edge of the offensive line, and he offers a reliable target on short and intermediate routes. His college blocking reputation translated well into the professional game, where his toughness at the point of attack has been a defining trait.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Allen’s defining career moments is his four-time selection as second-team All-Big 12 (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021), placing him among the most decorated tight ends in Iowa State history. His early national television appearance during the 2013 NCAA basketball tournament, his recovery from a serious pre-college car accident, and his signing with the St. Louis Battlehawks in 2024 each represent pivotal chapters in his journey to the professional ranks.
Chase Allen Career Wins
Chase Allen’s career has been defined less by championship hardware and more by sustained excellence and consistency across multiple competitive levels. His four All-Big 12 second-team selections stand as the cornerstone of his on-field résumé, supported by six years of reliable contribution at Iowa State and a transition into professional football. While he has not yet captured a professional league title, his body of work reflects a player who has earned every step of his career through steady performance.
College and UFL Highlights
At Iowa State, Allen was a four-time second-team All-Big 12 honoree (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021), one of the most decorated tight ends in program history. His senior-year high school totals of 33 receptions for 654 yards and seven touchdowns earned him first-team All-State recognition in Missouri. In the UFL, his signing with the St. Louis Battlehawks in November 2024 marked the next major chapter of his playing career.
Other Performances
Beyond his conference honors, Allen posted consistent year-over-year production at Iowa State, improving his reception totals in each of his final three seasons and finishing his college career with 26 catches for 284 yards and two touchdowns as a sixth-year senior. His ability to stay on the field, recover from setbacks, and contribute across both run and pass phases distinguished him throughout his development.
Chase Allen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chase Allen comes from one of the most football-centric families in the Midwest. His father, Terry Allen, is a longtime college head coach who has led programs at Northern Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri State, giving Chase a deep, lived understanding of the game from childhood. That coaching pedigree shaped his work ethic, his football IQ, and the discipline that has carried him through a six-year college career and into professional football.
Personal Life
Chase Allen was born on July 9, 1997, in Nixa, Missouri, and grew up immersed in the world of college football. He is the son of Terry Allen, whose coaching career required the family to engage deeply with the sport at the highest collegiate levels. While details of his marital status and family life beyond his parents are not publicly confirmed, his roots in Nixa and his connections to the broader college football community remain central to his personal story.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 UFL season represents Chase Allen’s first full professional campaign after signing with the St. Louis Battlehawks in November 2024. Entering the year as a depth tight end with starting potential, he was expected to contribute in both the run and pass game, leveraging his 6 ft 6 in frame and refined blocking technique. His role within the Battlehawks offense grew as the season progressed, with Allen logging consistent snaps in multiple personnel groupings.
As the season developed, Allen provided the St. Louis offense with a reliable possession target and a physical blocker in the run game. His ability to line up in-line, in the slot, and attached to the formation gave the Battlehawks scheme flexibility, and his football intelligence, sharpened by years around his father’s coaching staffs, allowed him to diagnose defensive looks quickly. The Battlehawks’ playoff picture remained competitive through the spring, with Allen serving as a steady contributor in tight situations.
Looking ahead, Allen’s trajectory in the UFL points toward a continued role as a core piece of the St. Louis offense. With another offseason of professional development and a full year of in-season experience behind him, he is well positioned to remain a fixture of the Battlehawks roster and to expand his responsibilities in 2026 and beyond. His combination of size, blocking reliability, and dependable hands makes him a natural candidate for an expanded role in future UFL campaigns.